In 2007, one of the sexiest cities in the world that MSN Travel picked was Galway, Ireland.
Getting off the bus in Galway, it didn’t take long to understand why.
The city is packed with pubs, college students from the National University of Ireland, bookstores, boutiques and eco-friendly shops.
Street performers, otherwise known as “buskers” are out in the city square just trying to make a buck or get their music out there.
The city is also full of local celebrities.
We met Norah Ward, a local Irish gypsy who likes to run around town and stick her wart-covered face very close to yours and say, “Can I bum a fag?” This doesn’t mean anything offensive since it is Irish slang for cigarette.
We also met Jack Duval, a man who was always a bit tipsy when we saw him downtown, no matter the time of day.
Carrying his bag stuffed with five or six champagne bottles, Duval would talk about the time he had dinner with a Kennedy or enjoyed the company of a famous actor.
Giovanni is a Romanian who has lived in Italy, France and Bulgaria. He hangs out in the downtown area using his sharp wit to poke holes in the idealistic ramblings of little American blondes like me.
As often as we could, my team and I would take a trip to a local pub. Wiggling our way through a crowd of Irish in the dimly lit pub, we’d lean up against the counter and ask for a Guinness.
Someone suggested I try a Galway Hooker. At first, I was taken aback. Apparently, a Galway Hooker is a popular drink. I stuck with my Guinness.
Don’t ask me why we decided to camp in Ireland — the coldest, wettest stop on our tour through Europe, but we did.
The advantages included waking up to the sound of the Atlantic Ocean crashing on rocks just a few strides away.
Living on the Western-most part of Europe, I was as close to America as I could be while still having my feet planted firmly in the European soil.
I’d stand on the coast and wave to mom every morning.
The disadvantages involved trying to preserve as much heat as possible while the wind whips right through your sleeping bag. Then we’d wake up to our tents dripping from the constant mist.
A morning walk on the prom, a path along Galway Bay, is fantastic. Seagulls, rocks, ocean tide and the grey sky are all an inspiration.
Once reaching the end of the prom, it’s custom to kick the wall for good luck. I’m not one to break custom.
Because it is always so cold in Ireland, hearty meals are in order.
We were treated to a full Irish breakfast, which was made up of tea, toast, eggs, sausage links, white pudding, black or blood pudding made out of pig’s blood and rashers, which are thin slices of skillet-fried ham.
When it came time to bid Ireland farewell, I was excited to return to the United States, but I knew I’d miss this quirky and beautiful culture.
By MICHELE HOP
Staff
mhop@ius.edu